


Sound of Onus

by damagedspoon



Series: Sounds of Silence [1]
Category: Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Apocalypse, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Possible Character Death, Romance, Science Fiction, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-03-12 06:50:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3347588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damagedspoon/pseuds/damagedspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alien force has invaded and forced Earth's heroes (plus a few Asgardians) to band together in Stark Tower. Scientists must become warriors, warriors must become kings, and sacrifices must be made by all. Slow burn Lokane.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is a product of my brain on a mixture of exhaustion, law school, and too much... Red Bull. I remember reading a post apocalyptic Lokane fic a ways back, so if that’s yours and this is too similar… well, you know what they say: good writers copy; great writers steal; and so-so writers make excuses. :-D Speaking of excuses, you should ignore anything from canon that I conveniently... forgot about.
> 
> Posted on Tumblr a few days ago. Posted here with minor changes in word choice.

**History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.**

**\- Maya Angelou**

* * *

**Onus**  [oh-n _uh_ s]  
Noun.  
1\. a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.  
2\. burden of proof.

3\. blame or responsibility.

* * *

 

Loki would have given anything to make her shut up when he first brought her back to Asgard.

Now, Loki would give anything to hear her again.

"Jane," he called, rapping on the heavy wooden door.

He paused, straining his senses as far as they would go, before opening the door.

She sat in a chair next to the window, staring blankly outside. If not for her gown, he might have been fooled into thinking she hadn’t moved. As he made his way into the room, he took care not to silence his footfalls, and her head turned to acknowledge his presence.

"Thor has asked after you," he said, forcing an appropriate amount of cheer into his voice.

Jane Foster stared back at him with an empty gaze and dead eyes.

"I could escort you into the gardens tonight," he choked out. "I could finally show you Asgard’s skies."

Silence.

Living as a god, Loki’s patience far surpassed that of a mortal, but fell quite short of a standard Asgardian. How many days did they have to live on repeat before the life returned to this husk of a creature? ‘Patience,’ Eir told him every time he asked. ‘You must be patient.’

His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. He squared his shoulders and stared at Jane.

Patience be damned.

* * *

**A Year Ago…**

She’d been absurdly brave when the invasion started and the alien battleships had darkened the sky.

Silent and still, for weeks they’d remained hovering en mass above the largest of Midgard’s cities. A week after their arrival, Thor had received word of the situation from his group of Merry Men on Midgard. He’d headed there, Asgardian Merry Men in tow, to fix the problem. Loki’d followed along for the entertainment.

She’d greeted Thor with a face full of determination and a mouth full of bravery.

"I’m not going to sit on the sidelines for this, Thor."

Loki had been sure that Jane Foster wouldn’t survive the first battle, if it came to that.

He’d been slightly mistaken.

After allowing the populace of Midgard enough time to amass their forces and then descend into the black pit that panic creates, the alien force had made quick work of the power system that Midgardians so heavily relied upon. Rather than heed the counsel of the Asgardians, who made a living of war, the militaries of Midgard’s most powerful countries went on the offensive, attempting to remove the invaders by force.

They’d failed.

The ships had let forth their own armies.

Loki had been knuckle deep in the gut of one of those aliens at the end of the first wave - a week long onslaught of invaders that Loki knew to be a mere test of Midgard's remaining defenses - when he’d noticed Jane Foster’s presence.

She hadn’t been glassy eyed and cold on the ground before him, as he’d anticipated. Her face held the same look of bravery and determination but had started to gain a hardness that was unsettling in its familiarity. It wasn’t a bravery born of stupidity, such as Thor’s, or due to her companions; while “the big guy” frequently kept his eye on her, her preferred companions, Darcy Lewis and Eric Selvig, were remarkably unremarkable.

He’d found himself once again in the process of gutting an enemy when he realized where he’d seen the look before. It was the same look Mother had prior to leaving for battle. He’d chuckled to himself, wrenching his dagger and hand free of the blue alien goop.

Jane Foster wore the face of a Valkyrie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yeah, I know. It’s short. It might not be entirely coherent. The timelines may change in the future. I was trying to get it all out while it was still in my head though. Thoughts?


	2. Sound of Duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane hides. Loki knows. Thor is oblivious. They talk. Not much else happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I've been trying to work on this in between studying for classes. Unfortunately, I've had law on the brain, so you guys get a semi-legal related word! Yay! If you notice errors of any kind, please feel free to point and laugh. :)
> 
> As always, I am but a poor student who only uses the brain children of others for enjoyment.  
> ...I do what I want.
> 
> EDIT: There has been a tiny edit to the beginning of this chapter. It moves the timeline back a smidgen to before the power was taken down. This is likely only relevant if you've already read the chapter.

 

**Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood.**

**\- George S. Patton**

* * *

 

As Jane walked onto the rooftop of Stark Tower, taking in the sight of the abandoned city and the ships hovering above it, she took a deep breath of the crisp outside air. While it wasn't much fresher than the air inside of the building, it at least didn't taste quite as stale.

The still silence that the rooftop greeted her with brought to mind the many nights that she spent sitting in the sand in Puente Antiguo. She missed the way that the sand felt under her fingers; she missed the quiet crackling of a campfire keeping her company. She missed the convenience of Starbucks coffee and Chinese takeout, the quiet bliss of a relaxing bubble bath, and the refreshed feeling of a full night’s sleep. She missed cold beer, appletinis, and the crappy shows that Darcy used to have playing incessantly on the television. She missed everything that they’d all taken for granted before the invasion.

Above all else, Jane Foster missed the sky at night. She missed those pinpoints of light that streamed through the atmosphere and reminded her that she had something worth fighting for.

She sat with her back to the cool concrete wall of a tiny alcove, out of the way of any potential passerby, and stared up into the underbelly of the ship closest to her. There had to be a weakness, a vulnerability of some sort. She just had to find it and exploit it so that she could go back to her work and her trailer and ignoring everyone else and… anything but war with strange, hostile aliens.

The sound of feet landing on the rooftop startled her, and she winced as the back of her head made contact with the wall. Grimacing, she touched the sore spot, checking for wet spots.

"I cannot do that, Brother. You know me well enough by now, I should think."

Jane frowned. She wasn't prepared to handle Thor or his opinions right now. She scooted slightly farther back into her little alcove and prayed that he wouldn't walk anywhere he might see her.

"I know no such thing."

Jane rolled her eyes. Lovely. Now, she could either be an unwilling eavesdropper to the two most dysfunctional siblings in the known universe or she could out herself and suffer through another one of Thor's chats. As if there weren't more important things happening in her life than Thor's feelings. The only saving grace would be Loki's sarcastic background commentary, which would undoubtedly cause Thor to lose his temper. They would devolve into bickering and she might be able to sneak away.

"I do know that you are an insufferable martyr - a trait which I have suffered through in silence far too long, you know - I cannot say that I have ever known the 'great and mighty Thor' to fall in as a common foot soldier."

Thor's laughter boomed across the rooftop and his footsteps grew louder. Jane scooted further back into the alcove. If nothing else, Thor was easy to locate. Of course, immortality and a giant hammer likely made subtlety a non-issue.

"Brother, you and I both know that you have never been made to suffer anything in silence."

"Be that as it may, these mortals do not want our counsel or insight. They want our strength. Nothing more. We must not allow them to treat us as a means to an end, as they would use an ox to plow."

Jane could taste the disdain and truth in the words. The remnants of the world's governments still weren't listening to the Asgardians, despite their thousands of years of experience. Jane thought it was very likely that most of them were convinced that the Asgardians were just mutants that came up with a clever cover story. This way they didn't have to acknowledge any questions that their existence created about their own religions. Darcy called it "cognitive dissonance." Jane called it stubborn.

"They mean nothing by it. They're just afraid and want a little control." Thor's voice faded into the building. "You should quit expecting the worst of everyone, Brother."

She waited another few moments, in case one of them came back, before scooting forward. She stood, brushing off the seat of her pants, and turned in the direction of the door.

And got a face full of green fabric and leather.

Sputtering, she backed up quickly and put her hands out between them.

"I'm beginning to think Asgardians have no concept of 'personal space.'"

"I certainly understand the concept, Jane Foster, though I admit we have little use for it in Asgard."

"So I've noticed. What are you doing here?"

Loki arched a brow. "I was preparing to ask you the same question. Do Midgardians often hide upon rooftops, spying on people?"

"I wasn't spying! I was here first!"

He made a small sound of disbelief, and she saw his trademark smirk begin to take form.

"Whatever. I have to get back to my work." A steady throb was creeping from the growing knot on the back of her head and beginning to settle in her temples.

"Ah, yes. I do believe it is customary here to storm off without any salutations. Midgardians are so barbaric."

"We're not barbaric. You're just infuriating."

His smirk widened, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I find my explanation so much more appealing."

Jane rolled her eyes and turned away. The throb was beginning to wear on her nerves. She'd never had to deal with Thor's devious little brother before; she preferred to snicker silently behind her hand when his attention was on someone else.

"Jane Foster."

She swung around on her heel, scowl firmly in place.

"What?"

He simply cocked his eyebrow again and tilted his head. Her notebook was lying on the ground next to the opening of her hiding place. She felt her cheeks heat up as she hurried over to get it, and she was sure she heard a chuckle as she made her way back down the stairs into Stark Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm so tired of the Thor-Loki eternal fight. It's stupid, infantile, etc. So, we're going to do things my way. If you don't like it, go somewhere else. There's going to be a flashback or a talk or some such piece of the story that explains how it works in my head later. For now, they're just siblings like any other - they heckle, they fight, they're mean to each other, but they'll protect each other to the end.
> 
> This is fairly short, but mostly so I can get things moving and my Muse going. So, any thoughts?
> 
> EDIT: There has been a tiny edit to the beginning of this chapter. It moves the timeline back a smidgen to before the power was taken down. This is likely only relevant if you've already read the chapter.


	3. Sound of Ignorance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony irritates Jane. Thor has some news about his plans.
> 
> EDIT: This chapter has had some serious revision, moving the plot back a bit, placing this before the power failure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've done some restructuring. Chapters are the same, but the organization is going through some modification.
> 
> EDIT: This chapter has had some serious revision, moving the plot back a bit, placing this before the power failure.

**Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.**

**\- Albert Einstein**

* * *

Tony Stark was going to get roundhouse kicked in the face.

“That’s not going to work."

On second thought, she probably wasn't tall enough to reach his face. Pity.

“Seriously, Tony, you need to either be helpful or get out.”

“I am being helpful. That’s not going to work.”

It was amazing that no one in the building had already done it in the brief time that they’d been cooped up here. She pinched the bridge of her nose and read through the page in front of her once more. The numbers added up to her. They were better than the ones scrawled across the crumpled up papers surrounding the wastebasket in the corner.

"Okay, Tony. What would you change, exactly?"

He hummed, leaned in closer, and made a few minor changes to the scribbles. She watched the changes, frown growing deeper, and decided that everyone must have grown accustomed to the irritating nature of Tony Stark.

"Those aren't significant enough to effect the outcome!"

"It's okay you can't see it. That's why I'm here."

"Well, on that note," she said, standing up, "I'm going to go get something to eat."

She got up from her seat, her chair clattering back along the floor angrily, and made her way toward the door of the lab.

"Thor wanted me to ask you to meet him in his room, by the way. Said it was 'of the utmost urgency.’"

She nodded but didn’t turn around. "Say hello to Pepper for me when you see her."

* * *

The residential floors of Stark Tower had gained that feeling, by extension, it seemed. The same traditional décor she knew from her visits in the past took on a new tone, creating long, sinister shadows and echoes where before it had offered comfort and beauty. The tall wooden doors, covered in ornate carvings, carefully picked out by Pepper, sank back into their frames, obscured from view until you were in front of them, seemed to hide any number of sinister dangers from an unwary soul. She found herself watching every door as she came up to it, analyzing the possibility that someone was there, watching her back. Since she’d arrived for this particular visit, she’d been unable to shake the uncomfortable tingle in the base of her skull, where it met her spine, which cause gooseflesh on her arms. The overwhelming sense that someone, or something, was watching her. Studying her.

She knocked lightly on Thor’s door and waited, her arms wrapped around her waist and her eyes darting from side to side. When she finally heard him call for her to enter, she heaved a sigh and slipped through the door.

"You sent Tony after me?" she asked, glancing around the living space.

Thor sat in an armchair that, from the way he was perched towards the front, looked like it was almost too small for his frame

"We need to discuss a few matters, Jane."

Jane drew her eyebrows together and sat on the couch across from him. "What is there to discuss? I thought we hashed everything out when you got here, Thor."

He rested his massive forearms on his knees and steepled his fingers in front of him. "Your leaders are refusing to listen to reason, Jane. They squabble amongst themselves but disregard all advice we give them."

"Yeah. I'm not certain what part of that is supposed to surprise me,” she said, her face softening.

“I had been hoping that their unresponsiveness was simply the result of panic, but the initial reaction has dissipated, and they are… stubborn, still.” He heaved a sigh, rubbing his hand across his face.

Jane was struck by just how aged he appeared in the dim lighting wearing his “king-in-training” face. She fiddled with the edge of her dress, unsure whether she was just there to listen or if she was supposed to offer some sort of advice.

“My brother wishes for us to return back to Asgard.”

Her eyes shot back up to study his face critically. “You’re not saying that you’re considering…”

“No. We shall stay to see this through to the end. There is no other way.”

“Obviously, there are other ways,” she said, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. “You just said that Lo-“

“Loki has forgotten the burdens of his position,” he said, waving his hand dismissively.

Jane huffed air out of her nose. “Loki has burdens?”

Thor’s lips pressed together in a thin line. “My brother is a prince of Asgard. This title comes with burdens and responsibilities, as it should, and as such, commands respect.”

Jane held her hands out in front of her in what she hoped was a placating manner. “Ok, ok. It was a joke. Your brother plays around alot. That’s all I meant.” After a moment, she heard him sigh.

“I am sorry, Jane. I should not have gotten ill-tempered with you so quickly. I know that you do not mean any harm. I have been under a fair amount of stress lately, and it sours my mood.”

She raised her gaze to the ceiling and fought the urge to roll her eyes again. “We all have, Thor. Now, why did you need to talk to me?”

“I do not have great expectations about the outcome of this situation, Jane. If your leaders do not come to a decision and make a move quickly, then the end result will not be pleasant for Midgard.”

She looked back at Thor, her brow furrowing. “Why does it matter what they want? There are billions of people in the world. We will fight.”

“And without the power of your Midgardian magic, you will lose. Your science relies on your electricity. The invaders have only just arrived, and there is no telling what manner of magic that have at their disposal, but you can be certain that, if they know how heavily you rely upon it, it is the first thing that they will remove. It will be swift, and it will be efficient.”

“Why are we even talking like this? For all we know, we’re just jumping to conclusions!” The patronizing look on Thor’s face was starting to make her blood pressure rise, and Jane took several breaths in the attempt to calm herself down. “We don’t know why they’re here. That’s all I’m saying.”

“If they were here for peace, Jane, they would not have sent an army. They are here for war, and you must be prepared for all of the possibilities.”

She turned on her heel to leave, suddenly anxious to meet up with Darcy and grab a bite to eat. Today was turning out to be hell on her nerves. “Consider me prepared, Thor.”

“In the event that Midgard loses…”

She stopped in her tracks. “We won’t. We’re going to beat them.”

Thor paused, giving her a look that she couldn’t quite translate. “In the event that they win, I have made arrangements.”

 “Arrangements?” She turned back to him, frowning.

He nodded. “For you. In the event that Midgard becomes fully compromised.”

“And what are these ‘arrangements’ that you have already made for me?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“In the event Midgard becomes fully compromised, I have made plans for you to be removed to Asgard." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was like pulling teeth. Review. Let me know what I'm doing right/wrong/okay. It makes my muse happy. :)
> 
> EDIT: This chapter has had some serious revision, moving the plot back a bit, placing this before the power failure.


	4. Sound of Criticism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane and Darcy talk things out over wine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that everyone knows, there have been some slight changes to the previous chapters that set us back a little on the timeline. A problem with the matter of electricity was brought to my attention, so I am making some slight changes that bring standard energy systems back into the mix.

**There are no judgments so harsh as those of the erring, the inexperienced, and the young.**  
\-   **Dinah Maria Mulock Craik**

* * *

"Excuse me?"

"In the event-

"I heard what you said, Thor. I'm just in shock that you would think that you could make those kinds of plans for me."

"What is there to be shocked about, Jane? Your safety is important."

"The safety of the planet is important, Thor! You can't just go around making these kinds of decisions without consulting anyone first!"

"I am Crown Prince of Asgard! I have every right to make these types of decisions!"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a citizen of Earth, so your authority doesn't extend to me!"

* * *

"How long do you think this is going to go on?" Tony asked, looking at Bruce.

Bruce shrugged. "However long it takes for him to realize that he won't win."

"Then, gentlemen, we shall be here a long while yet." Loki grinned, leaning back in his seat with his fingers laced behind his head and his legs stretched out in front of him.

Several hours later, Thor found the three men still patiently waiting for the chaos to die down, and Tony took Thor's apology for the property damage in stride. Thankfully, the damage was limited to the furnishings in the room.

* * *

"Well, at least you have an exit plan, dude."

Jane poured the rest of the bottle of wine into her glass. If nothing else, Tony had an impressive hoard of the alcohol. Living in the home of a genius, billionaire hedonist had its benefits. At least when said genius, billionaire hedonist was not around to give everyone headaches.

"It's not about having an 'exit plan,' Darcy. It's about the fact that he's made this plan for me."

"Well, could you have made a better plan?"

"That's not the point!"

"Sure, it is." Darcy looked at her over the rim of her glass. "You should be grateful that there's someone looking out for you."

Jane gave an unladylike huff into her wine glass before taking another swig. "What about the other seven billion people in the world?"

"Well, of the seven billion people in the world, you're obviously his favorite!"

"Ok, Darcy. Thank you for the fresh perspective." She wondered how much wine it would take for her to be as nonchalant about the entire situation as Darcy.

"You're welcome. That's what I'm here for."

Darcy reclined on the little sofa in Jane's sitting area. All things considered, they weren't necessarily "toughing it," thanks to Tony's love of opulence. The "bedrooms" they'd all ended up with were more like apartments unto themselves, complete with small kitchens and living rooms.

"Well, if that's what you're here for…"

"You know, this could really be awesomeness of biblical proportions. You're ranked way high up there." Darcy's eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers, pointing at Jane. "Dude! You know what this makes you, right?"

"Unbelievably unlucky?"

"Nope! You're like Noah!"

Jane leaned back against the sofa she was sitting on and covered her eyes with the crook her free arm. Maybe, if she asked nicely, Darcy would share whatever drugs she was on.

"I am nothing like Noah, Darcy." How did she get herself into these conversations? Oh, right.

"You're just like Noah. Minus the white robe and the staff, of course-"

"Darcy, this conversation is taking a turn toward the ridiculous."

"-and the ark..."

"Yes, we've definitely stepped into the realm of ridiculousness." Jane downed the rest of the wine in her glass and got up to get a fresh bottle of wine from the fridge.

"Hey! You should ask Thor if you can take an ark with you!"

"I'm not asking him that." She pulled the cork out of a new bottle and filled the glass dangerously close to the rim.

"Living on the edge over there, Jane?"

"Desperate times, desperate measures, right?"

"That's what I'm saying! So, why not ask if you can take an ark? It only makes sense to-"

"Because I'm not going."

"-ask... What? Jane, if all hell breaks loose and there's no other choice-"

"There's always a choice." Jane eyeballed the label on the wine bottle. 1978 Cote-Rotie. Shrugging, she carried the bottle back with her and set it on the coffee table.

"Yeah, the choice where you get the hell out of Dodge if things get too bad."

"No, the other choice. You know? The one where you fight to the last man standing? Where you stick to your guns because it's the right thing to do?"

Darcy scoffed. "For someone so smart, Jane, you have absolutely no common sense."

"I have plenty of common sense!"

"No, if you had common sense, you would realize that this is not the personal attack that you're taking it as. You would accept this as the great honor that it is. A  _prince_ , a  _god_  in our histories, cares enough about  _you_ to make sure that you're safe  _even though_  you have rebuked his romantic advances." Darcy waved her now empty glass around for emphasis. " _You_  are being rude for acting like it's some sort of personal slight!"

"It's not his decision to make!"

"Would you have made this particular decision without him?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, then, there you go." Darcy shrugged and refilled her glass. "Look, you said that the plan is only a backup plan, right?"

Jane nodded.

"Well, then, if you really don't want to go, make sure that it doesn't get to that point. If it does, he's given you an exit plan because he's got, oh, I don't know,  _thousands of years of experience_  in these types of situations?"

Jane glared. "Just because he's probably right doesn't mean that I have to be thrilled about it."

"You should be appropriately grateful that someone was thinking about you."

Jane stared down into the wine glass in her hand, trying to suss out the meaning of the universe within the liquid. Technically, if one believed in Quantum theory, she had a good shot at finding it there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! It's not as long as I wanted it to be, but I'm working on character development at the moment, which meant not alot of descriptions. Whatcha think?


	5. Sound of Disorder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane and Darcy talk. Jane and Natasha train. Jane has a few small realizations. Nothing big, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I've been experimenting with writing styles. I was trying to do a mainly dialogue chapter last time. I'm thinking that didn't really work out so great for me, so I'm changing it up. Still trying to work on my dialogue, though, so if you catch anything, please let me know.

**One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.**

**\- Friedrich Nietzsche**

* * *

 

The shrill buzz of the alarm clock pierced through Jane's consciousness, and she scowled into her pillow. She reached out from beneath the duvet and smacked at her clock, her hand landing heavily before sliding down to hang in the space between the night stand and bed. She nuzzed her face further into the slick, cool material of the pillow case. She was on the cusp of sleep when the buzzing returned. Groaning, she swatted at the clock repeatedly.

The clock hit the nearby wall and crashed to the floor with a dull thump.

Jane tossed back the duvet and glared in the general direction of the foul device. She fell out of the bed, muttering about indestructible clocks and inconvenient alien invasions, and shuffled over to the kitchenette. When the coffee was done brewing, she stood at the small kitchen island and inhaled the cup. The alarm's auto-snooze kicked in. After pouring another cup, she sank down onto one of the barstools with a sigh.

Mornings were the worst part of the day, but she'd made the awful mistake of staying up far too late with Darcy the night before. It had almost felt like there'd been no threat of grand-scale invasion of Earth looming in the backdrop of everyone's consciousness once they'd moved past that drama with Thor. Until Darcy had asked why they'd even come to stay in Start Tower in the first place

When she'd gotten the call from Tony, she'd packed the essentials and hurried to New York, and Darcy had followed along without any intense probing into the reasons. Jane had dismissed it as Darcy's innate sense of self-preservation: who better to defend you than Earth's superheros, and where better for them to protect you than where they were amassed? What was becoming readily apparent, however, was that Darcy's main interest was her loyalty to Jane. A loyalty that Jane wasn't entirely certain that she deserved.

After the second cup of coffee was drained, she rinsed her cup out in the sink and looked at the clock on the ground.  _9:30._ Wonderful. She was already late. Natasha was probably leaning against a wall somewhere with a deeper than normal scowl on her face.

When she'd arrived at Stark Tower, she'd been under the misguided impression that there would be a relatively swift resolution. There was no way she'd ever see any sort of combat, right? Why would she need to fight while under the protection of  _Iron Man_? Unfortunately, that dream had come crashing down after a week of working on a piece of a "Top Secret" project with Tony and Bruce. She still had no idea what the projects were; they only gave her pieces to work on, never revealing to her the ultimate goal. It was no wonder that her equations weren't coming out properly. How did they expect her to be able to work in conditions where she was half blind?

Natasha had pulled her away one evening after dinner to discuss Jane's "options" in the event of an attack on Stark Tower. It wasn't difficult to pull her away, given her growing frustration over Tony's refusal to answer her questions.

"There is a 'safe room' for the scientists; if you are in the labs, it is relatively easy to get to. Once the alarm is triggered, there is a 10 minute window before the room is locked down and can only be opened from the inside. If you are out in the rest of the Tower, you may not get there in time."

Under the weight of the Russian woman's stare, all Jane could do was nod along dumbly. Natasha's gaze had assessed Jane a few times, and she had the distinct feeling that she now knew what it was like to be an amoeba under a microscope. Natasha's lips had pulled together in a tight line.

"You will meet me in the training room on Saturday at 9 am. Do not be late."

That had been two weeks before Thor and his entourage had arrived. After that first Saturday, she and Natasha had added Tuesdays and Thursdays to their meeting time, and Jane thought she was progressing rather nicely.

She walked into the training area to find that, yes, Natasha did look more irritated than usual.

"You're late," the redhead informed her, turning away and pulling a handgun out of its holster.

"Yeah. Sorry."

Natasha's version of a "warm-up," now that Jane had mastered the very basics, was to send her through the obstacle course -  _because of course Tony Stark would put a freaking obstacle course in his home_ \- and then have her practice anything that she'd messed up. Today, though, Natasha stopped her after the first run-through.

"That's enough. We will work on hand-to-hand now."

"Hand-to-hand? Why would I-"

"Sometimes subtlety has its advantages."

Jane watched as Natasha started to walk in circles around her, and she adjusted her footing to keep her eyes on the redhead. "Subtlety? Why would I need to be subtle if there's fighting going on?"

She stumbled back when Natasha stopped and swiftly moved toward her. She stopped when her back met the wall.

"Guns are a ranged weapon," Natasha began, stopping a hairsbreadth away from Jane. "In situations with less room, they are worth little more than any other blunt force object. There is very little chance that you will be able to outmanuever an opponent in a tight situation, especially with your small stature and lack of experience." Jane wondered if Natasha knew just how alarmingly blue her eyes were. "However, there are ways in which subtlety can gain you the advantage."

Jane swore she saw Natasha wink at her, and the next thing she knew, the world was upside down. Blinking a few times, she realized that she was on her back on the carpeted training room floor. Natasha came into view over her.

"You have to be able to find the right moment. Then, you strike."

She reached out a hand to Jane, and Jane grimaced as she grasped the hand and pulled herself up. She dusted herself off and followed along as Natasha started taking her through basic self-defense moves.

* * *

Jane flopped back down on the bed. She stared at the canopy above her, and she thought about how she'd stared up at it the night before with Darcy.

After the Thor discussion, they'd come to an unspoken agreement to stay away from topics relating to current events. They'd been virtually trapped in Stark Tower for a little over eight weeks, and the atmosphere in the building was becoming palpably tense. Everyone was anxious, unsettled by Earth's lack of responsiveness to an impending crisis and the non-movement of the UFOs. If  _something_  didn't happen soon, Jane was fairly certain it was bound become some sort of demented  _Lord of the Flies_  situation, with superheroes instead of schoolboys. So, instead of feeding into that anxiety together, they'd sprawled out across Jane's bed and talked about the mundane. Mellow and comfortably numb from the wine and the atmosphere created by the low lighting and the decorative fireplace, their conversation had become more intimate as the evening progressed. Jane'd recounted her exciting academic career and not so exciting romantic history; Darcy'd reciprocated with a brief recollection of her longer love life. After a while, they'd fallen into silence, both staring up into the canopy above the bed. After a while of rooting around in her own head, Jane'd rolled over onto her stomach and looked at Darcy.

"What's the worst thing you've ever done?"

Darcy'd worried at her bottom lip and continued staring up at the canopy. After a moment, she'd breathed out a half chuckle.

"When I was 13, I set my house on fire." She'd let out another breathy chuckle and turned to face Jane. The ambient lighting and the wine cast a rosy glow across her skin. Jane's words caught in her throat.

"You did what?" The words had come out in a hoarse whisper. She'd cringed and cleared her throat.

"It was an accident." Darcy'd interlocked her fingers behind her head and her gaze had focused on a point over Jane's shoulder. "I was big into incense and candles at the time, and my parents were pretty lax. It'd never been a problem before. That time, though, I left them unattended with the window open. They said that some burning ash was probably knocked into my trash can. It was like a perfect storm. Everything aligned in just the right way..."

She'd taken a deep breath and held the air in her chest for a prolonged moment before exhaling.

"The organized chaos was magnificent."

Jane'd suppressed a shiver at Darcy's hushed tone. She could understand the sentiment. That was the very basis of her work, wasn't it?

The universe was filled with an infinite number of planetary bodies who owed their very existence to those magnificently perfect chaotic alignments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I think that this one is slightly longer than the rest of them, which I am glad for, but hot damn this one was not easy to pull from my brain. I've revised like no less than 10 times.
> 
> So, this Jane has a lot of growing up to do, socially, romantically, etc., even without any apocalypse. So, she's got some changing to do, as well. Darcy, well, I think it'll be fun for Darcy to have a slightly dark side, you know? Whatever, I love antiheros and antivillians, whatever you want to call them. I'll go somewhere now. Lol.


	6. Sound of Discontent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad decisions are made. Jane and Loki interact. Tensions mount.

**[March 2012 CE]**

* * *

**"A weed is but an unloved flower."**

**\- Ella Wheeler Wilcox**

* * *

Jane stared at the piece of paper in front of her, grinding her molars together and fighting the urge to crumple Director Fury's "directive" down Agent Ganza's stupid secret agent throat.

"You can't be serious. There's no way they expect me to waste my time on this."

Bruce shot her a look from across the lab.

She recognized that she was nowhere near the most vital member of the team. It was difficult to have illusions of grandeur when you were bunking in Stark Tower with scores of highly trained agents, a handful of Asgardians, and a Hulk. She was developing a sneaking suspicion, however, that her decision to join the team had been less her decision and more of a way for Fury to make sure that Thor had no reason to fly off when he may be needed here. After her long conversation with Darcy, she found that she couldn't be upset with the sentiment, but the least that they could do was give her something to work on that justified those student loans she still had to pay back.

"There's no reason. An intern could do this work. Any intern." She flexed her hand, and the offending document crumpled under the pressure.

Agent Ganza, however, was unaffected by Jane's ire.

"I'm not going to work on this." She tossed the crumpled wad at Ganza's head; it fell short and bounced off of his shoe. She could have sworn the corner of his mouth wavered for a moment.

"That's none of my concern, Doctor Foster.. My job was to pass these along. You'll have to take your concerns up with the Director."

She glared at the agent's back as he walked away, and she was vaguely disappointed when nothing jumped into his way for him to trip over. Bruce's boots thumped conspicuously against the tile as he made his way over to her desk. She glared down at her desk.

"This is ridiculous, Bruce. I'm worth more to this effort than this," she waved her hand ineffectually around in front of her, "absolute garbage."

"I'm sure that Fury didn't intend it as an insult."

Jane sank down into her chair, leaned her elbow on the armrest, giving an incredulous humph, and put her face in her hand.

"I'm sure it wasn't intended that way," she said through her fingers, her voice muffled. "But he damn sure succeeded."

A large hand patted her shoulder awkwardly, and she took a deep breath, reigning in her emotions.

"I'll be alright," she muttered after counting to ten ( _five times_ ). "I've just been a little irritable lately."

"It's just the cabin fever setting in. Everyone's a bit on edge right now."

"Are you?" She turned her head slightly and studied him from the corner of her eye. He had the same wary, edgy look that she was sure others saw on her own face.

"A little." He chuckled darkly. "The Other Guy could certainly use some action."

* * *

"They've cut power to New York City."

"No, Director, they've cut power to all major cities."

"Where do you need the most assistance? I can have an Avenger there in a few hours."

"We do not need your help for damage control."

"Then I'm afraid I fail to see the point in my attending this meeting in the first place."

"Expect a military movement in New York. Do not interfere."

"You're going to mount an attack on alien crafts we still know nothing about."

"We must go on the offensive. This has drug on for too long. We must end this swiftly."

"We have no idea what we're up against. Earth's militaries can only withstand so much. I've spoken again with the Asgardians-"

"We do not care for the opinions of your alien 'royalty.' They may have been gods in antiquity, but we are no longer a primitive people in need of their guidance."

"They have more experience with these scenarios. We are new players on this field. We would be wise to heed their counsel and exercise caution."

"We do not suggest sending basic military teams. Our most skilled units will attack in tandem on all ships."

"That's bound to fail! They will die! We have no idea-"

"We will learn. Casualties are the unfortunate price of war."

* * *

Even Jane understood that the plan was doomed. The alien ships had been hovering above Earth for months now; the people of Earth still knew nothing of their invaders - their identities or their firepower. Her first inclination was to hide in her rooms while the fighting was going on, but Natasha was nothing if not a good teacher, and Jane's newly developing "warrior side" was itching to survey the damage and learn what she might end up pitted against. Good scientists know that adaptability is crucial for a species' survival.

So she found herself once again on the roof of Stark Tower, the one building in New York that still had power thanks to Tony's brilliant work, staring up at the alien ships, trying to find that fatal flaw that would help ensure the survival of her planet. Fitting for the somber mood of the day, she could see storm clouds moving in, dark and angry, full of rain that might turn into an icy slush. The only things that Jane could hope was that the aliens were as vulnerable to it as humans were, if they ever came out of those damnable ships.

"I'm sure it must be terribly vexing for you, knowing that this could mark the end of your kind."

She scowled. ( _Of course_ , he would pick now to instigate her.) She'd barely heard or seen Loki in the last few weeks. They'd only spoken twice in the time since his arrival, and the first time, when she'd smacked him soundly across the mouth "for New York," most likely didn't count.

"This doesn't 'mark the end of my kind,'" she said, turning so that she could see him in her periphery. Even the rebuttal tasted sour in her mouth, as though they knew themselves to be not quite truths.

Loki chuckled. "Now, now. You should know better than to lie to me. Your Eric Selvig must have told you something of me, Jane Foster, even in Thor would not."

Her eyebrows drew together. "Why would Eric tell me anything about you?"

Loki tsk'd at her. "Is he not your resident scholar on Norse myth?"

"Oh."

"Have you taken the time to consult Selvig about Midgard's latest Asgandian visitors?"

She scoffed. "I've had more important things to worry about than stroking Asgardian egos."

"I believe you may be mistaken."

When she looked back over her shoulder to shoot him a disbelieving look, his slight grin split open. For a moment Jane thought she was in front of the crazed Loki that she'd heard about: the Loki who followed Thor into every battle without fail; who relished the heat of battle; who basked in the nuances of war beside his fair haired older brother, taking glee from doling out the All-Father's "justice."

"Oh, my dear Doctor Foster," he tutted, his expression adjusting to show what could have passed for sympathy on anyone else's face. His eyes, however, sparked with delight. "It is such a good thing we are alone, you and I; I imagine it would be unfortunate were anyone to realize that you are without any sense of self preservation."

"I think the fact that we're all here says plenty about my dedication to the preservation of life."

"To the detriment of your own, perhaps?" He made a sound in the back of his throat - something not quite a scoff, not quite a chuckle.

Sure, something might happen to her. But if she could help keep humanity at large alive, that was more important than one person. Perhaps it had less to do with morality and more to do with the survival of the species.

She worried at her bottom lip and stared at him. It was so easy to forget the vast differences in life expectancy. It was easy to overlook the aged warriors' eyes and focus solely on the youthful, stupidly good-looking appearances. How could you possibly describe a biological imperative to people who were theoretically immortal?

"I am called the God of Mischief and Lies."

She blinked and shook her head, cheeks flushing as she realized she'd been staring silently at him. Like a creep. She cursed to herself.

"Oh. Yeah. I knew that much. I didn't want to assume, though..."

"Most of your manuscripts are wrong, of course, but it seems the basics were not lost."

"So, is the same true of the other myths around the world?"

He stared down at her for a moment, as though he was expecting she'd say something else.

"Actually,-"

The sound of a fighter jet ripped through the air. She tore her eyes away to watch it rip across the sky, swiftly followed by four others. Her hands bunched in fists as they flew in formation up to and around the much larger alien vessel, obviously looking for the same weaknesses she'd been searching for. They seemed to regroup some ways away from the ship, before heading directly back. The jets each fired a missile several seconds before they all made an abrupt turn to avoid the blast radius. Jane's jaw dropped as the missiles hit what appeared to be thin air several feet away from the ship. Second later, the ship turned in the direction of the jets and a panel on the hull shifted to reveal a dark, empty space.

Energy cracked through the air, and she wasn't certain if it was from the ship or the incoming storm until the first hit struck home. Her hands balled up into fists and covered her mouth. As the sound of the second strike cracked through the air, she closed her eyes and turned away. The face full of leather was a surprise, but a more welcome surprise than it may have otherwise been. After a moment's pause, his arms wrapped around her frame smoothly, and she allowed herself to bury her face in the leather, taking the small measure of comfort in the knowledge that there was someone who could ( _though most likely wouldn't_ ) protect her from  _this_.

"It is not so bad, Jane Foster," she heard above her, followed by the distinct sound of another blast of energy. She struggled to block out the sound of the explosions and pay attention to what it was he was saying.

"They fight with honor and will be well received in Valhalla."

She felt a rumble run through his chest, something like a hum. She focused on it as the last two strikes hit in quick succession.

"We should all hope to be so lucky."

There were no more strikes against the ship that day. Jane heard whip-cracks in the background and felt worn leather in her hands until she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so, I've been trying to build more character into Jane. As far as the MCU is concerned, I believe that she's tragically underdeveloped. I have a plan. It's subject to being altered, but it's a plan. The big thing here, though, is that I think Jane is more naive than anything - not "holier-than-thou." I have a really hard time finding someone that intelligent unwilling to even comprehend a darker side to people and yet coexist in the same space as Tony Stark. Unlikely and unrealistic.
> 
> Also, you should note that, in my Universe, the Battle of New York didn't happen. This timeline puts us right at when BoNY happened in cannon. Somehow, behind the scenes, conveniently, there was some Deus ex machina going on, and Thor rescued Loki from Thanos, Loki mayor may not have wanted to be saved initially, but the power of Thor's love (is a curious thing) is a force to be reckoned with, etc., etc., there are still issues with Odin. Maybe I'll explore it in-depth later.


End file.
